A future for Jennings

In November 2015, I was delighted to attend the Porthcawl Townscape Heritage Initiative Open Day at the Jennings Building on Porthcawl seafront. It was an opportunity to not only hear about exciting new proposals for the former harbourside warehouse but also to meet the developers and to study new proposals. The event was also an opportunity to hear about how Townscape Heritage funding has been helping to regenerate Porthcawl.

There were presentations from Cllr Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development at Bridgend Council and Andrew Jones, Manager, Regeneration Projects and Built Environment at Bridgend Council. We were told by Cllr Smith that the Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme is making a total of £1.3 million available until 2019 to renovate and refurbish buildings within the ‘historic heart’ of Porthcawl.

I had never been inside the Jennings Building before and I was really interested to see inside. There has been much discussion about its future use and it was good to talk to the developers who were keen to highlight their new plans for the Building. Their proposals involve seeking full planning permission and listed building consent for the change of use, conversion and external alterations to the former Jennings Warehouse to create restaurants, café bar, community room and 13 live/work residential units. Planning and Listed Building Consent applications have been submitted.

I also had the opportunity to look inside the Pilots’ Lookout Tower and The Customs House building. I have walked past these buildings many times but never gone inside. Both have recently been restored thanks to THI grant aid.